After the Battle
by EmpressOfSarcasm
Summary: I wrote this before Dragon came out, though it's what I thinks happens after Tonglong is defeated.  It's also why Ying is still alive!  Basically, Hok gets kidnapped. Five years pass. What will happen now that Tonglong is back? PERMENENTLY DISCONTINUED
1. Prologue: Princesses and Guns Don't Mix

**Hey all you peeps on Fanfiction!**

**I wrote this story forever ago, and I just wanted to get it out of the way. Called "After the Battle."**

**Enjoy!**

Prologue

As she stared longingly out to the horizon, thirteen-year-old Hok thought of her father, Henrik, mother, Bing, and little sister, GongJee. The next few months were going to be miserable without them.

Hok had dark brown curls that reached her slim waist, but were now swept up into a bun at the crown of her head. Four ringlets hung by each of her cheeks. Her eyes were a light brown and almond-shaped. She had high cheekbones and a long, slender neck. She was of average height, but was incredibly light. She had very, very pale skin, but that was her natural tone. She had always had the unnatural ability to walk through many obstacles, totally silent.

Hok wore a traditional Caribbean silk ball-gown with small sleeves that reached her elbows. White fabric about an inch long was sewn onto the edges of the sleeves puffed around her arms. It had a square neckline and the bodice was triangular with ribbons to make her waist seem even smaller than it already was. Under the dress she wore a shift, ten petticoats, and a whalebone corset (which made breathing a bit of a chore). Hok wore an ivory sash and shoes (which pinched her feet more than anything she had worn in her life). Silver and sapphire teardrop earrings hung at her earlobes. The only thing that she wore that the royal dressmaker had not given her was a silk thread that held a tiny jade crane. It had been a gift from her mother many years ago.

Her favorite lady-in-waiting, Charlotte, had left to retrieve something that Mother had intended to give Hok before she left, but had not gotten the chance. She had said that it was an important family symbol.

Hok was a princess. So she always had one of her twelve ladies-in-waiting to accompany her to any event or when she did anything. It got rather annoying. This was one of the only moments of peace that she had had in a long time.

She sat at her open widow, perched at the edge of the sill, and her dress gently cascading to the shiny marble floor. She was soaking in the few moments of calm that she had left. The sun was just beginning to set, making it look like the sky had been set aflame. Small waves broke against the shoreline, gently sliding over the smooth sand. Gulls flew overhead, shrieking to one another. And dolphins leapt joyfully through the swells, calling out in their shrill tongue. This was a moment that she would savor forever.

Hok's room was on the ground floor of the mansion that belonged to her mother's family, so Hok decided to take a walk on the beach, since this was the only time hat she would be able to have such a moment.

She snatched her cloak from the chair of her writing desk and nimbly leapt through the open window. Even though there was a door, Hok didn't want to go to all that trouble opening it on creaking hinges and risk getting caught. The window was much stealthier.

Hok began to stride confidently to the beach, through the ankle-high wild flowers and grass that grew in the dunes. This was much easier than she first thought.

She daintily removed her slippers and lifted her dress, letting the cool sea water flow over her aching feet. But no sooner had the first swell come over her toes when a voice called her name. She turned and saw that it was Charlotte. She was beckoning to her from the open window. She held a small wooden box under her right arm.

Hok sighed and turned her back to the shore. _Show time_, she thought.

Hok walked over to the window, limping slightly. She hopped onto the windowsill, her slippers still in hand, and balanced there on ball of her foot for a moment before landing silently on the marble flooring. "Yes?" Hok inquired in a soft voice.

Charlotte had fiery red curls that she kept in a single braid that reached her slim waist. She had skin slightly paler than Hok's, and dark splotches were splattered across her nose and cheeks. She had round eyes the color of the deepest emerald. She was taller than Hok's mother, which wasn't that tall. Charlotte was twenty-years-old, and therefore the youngest of her ladies-in-waiting. She wore a silver gown that swept the floor around her, and it had a delicate square neckline. She wore an emerald pendant around her slim neck.

"Your mother wanted to give this to you before you left, Your Majesty," Charlotte informed her as she curtsied. She opened the box she held to reveal a circlet tiara made of silver, diamonds, and sapphires molded to look like leaves. It looked so delicate, that Hok thought that it would shatter if the person so much as stroked it.

"Charlotte," Hok gasped out. "I cannot take this!"

Charlotte shook her head. "No, Your Majesty. It has been worn by Dutch princesses since the founding of our country many ages ago. It is tradition that you wear this."

Hok took a deep breath before replying calmly, "Very well. Shall I wear it tonight?"

Charlotte nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty. Your father, the King, wrote and requested that you wear it."

Hok bowed her head, and Charlotte placed the circlet of silver around her hairdo. She looked to her mirror across the room and couldn't believe what she saw.

It was a young woman more beautiful than anyone that Hok had ever seen. The light blue colors of her jewelry set off her eyes and hair. Her pale skin seemed to smolder brilliantly in the candlelight. She was beautiful without any cosmetics or medicines. She was a natural beauty.

Hok looked at Charlotte and bowed, low and deep. "Thank you Charlotte," Hok murmured. "For everything."

"You're welcome, Your Majesty," she replied, curtsying.

With that, Hok glided out of the room, and headed to the ballroom, where a party was taking place in honor of Hok and her friends.

Almost a month earlier, Hok and her former temple brothers Fu, Malao, Seh, Long, and Ying (along with the help of their friends and family) defeated a man named Tonglong, or "Praying Mantis," who had taken control of the Forbidden City and used the Emperor as his puppet. Hok, who had been mortally injured during the siege, had spent the last few weeks recuperating. She was still walking with a noticeable limp from her broken legs.

As she strolled on weak legs, Hok thought about everything that they had been through in the past year. It had taken its toll on all of them; they hadn't had to run through a forest or man a ship for a month. It felt incredibly boring.

Before she knew it, Hok had arrived at the massive doors that led to the ballroom, where the party was in full swing. But she wouldn't be able to join the festivities just yet. First she had to go through a full ceremony. She had to agree to take the title as the heir to the Dutch throne. She had rehearsed it numerous times, and found it to be time-consuming work.

Hok heard trumpets blare and a man speak in a booming voice. It was Mong, Seh's father!

Hok took several deep breaths. There was no need to be nervous at a time like this. All she had to do was say a vow and sit on a throne. Simple.

The doors were by two couriers opened and Hok glided down an aisle with a huge smile on her face. She made sure to make eye contact with each of her guests.

When she reached the platform, she glanced around the room and saw that her friends were spread throughout the room. Hok smile only grew larger.

Standing at the top of the stage was a giant of a man. He had huge muscles that rippled beneath a red silk robe that was big enough to be a tent. He was completely devoid of hair; he didn't even have any eyebrows! This man was Mong, without a doubt.

Mong addressed the crowd in his booming voice, "Many tales have been told over the generations of princesses who receive their ending peacefully. But that is not the case for this young soul. She has overcome death, injury, losses that are too numerous to count. But that will all change today."

The crowd stood there, totally silent, so Mong continued. "Princess Hok OnYeen Alexandra Diana, do you agree to hold the eternal vow to be loyal to your country of Holland, to uphold the laws of your country, to listen to your people, and treat them with the compassion of a true queen?"

Hok knew the correct answer. She replied with an icy calm, "I do."

Mong grinned. "Then you may take your rightful place as the Princess Royal of Holland."

_Great_, Hok thought. _Just another title to add to the list of ones that I already have_.

The crowd cheered as she stepped onto the platform and sat upon the gilded throne of gold and red satin.

Hok thought that tonight couldn't be any more perfect.

But she was wrong.

As Hok worked her way through the boisterous masses, a tap on her shoulder caught her by surprise. She turned and saw that it was her second favorite lady-in-waiting, Elizabeth.

Elizabeth had perfectly straight hair the color of a golden wheat field that reached just past her shoulders. She wore it in a bun at the nape of her neck. She had skin much, much paler than Hok's. She was slightly taller then Hok and was twenty-two-years-old. She wore a blood-red dress that had a circular neckline lined with ebony lace, it had full sleeves. Elizabeth wore a mask of black and scarlet satin.

"Your Majesty," she whispered respectfully as she curtsied. "The ladies thought it appropriate that you wear this, since it is a masquerade."

In her hands, Elizabeth held out a small mask made of pale blue satin with ivory pearls stitched in the shapes of roses. Silver thread lined the entire length of it, and a string was attached to either end.

Hok curtsied, though it wasn't her style. She took the mask and tied it around her face. It covered the bridge of her nose and her forehead. All in all, a perfect fit.

Elizabeth nodded and walked away; making it obvious that she would be watching her from a distance with the other ladies.

Hok shook her head. Why did they have to treat her like a child?

Behind her, someone cleared their throat. Again she turned and saw that it was a boy in a dark blue silk robe and pants with a black sash and cotton shoes. He had uneven black hair and deep black eyes. His mask was long, and covered the entire length of his face. It was the color of the deepest and clearest river water.

"May I have this dance, Your Highness?" the boy asked politely, his voice low and calm. Hok knew that voice!

"Seh?" Hok raised her thin eyebrows, but he didn't notice because of her mask.

Seh nodded. "Yes. But are you going to answer my question?"

Hok took a deep breath to clear her clouded mind. But her heart did a relay race in her chest, and wouldn't stop. "Yes, of course."

They walked to the center of the dance floor and Seh took hold of her waist and her left hand. In turn, Hok placed her hand on his shoulder. They began to twirl around the floor in a graceful waltz.

"So," Seh said uncomfortably. "You're a princess now."

"Yes," she replied solemnly. "And it won't be very easy. Mother has already contacted me about two suitors who are coming to visit soon. In two years probably. They're from Spain and France. So if I were to marry one of them, it would be a strategic political move for Holland."

The look in Seh's eyes was a mixture of pain and sadness. "But my mother doesn't approve of either of them," Hok continued quickly. "She says that the Spanish are too barbaric and the French are too sissy. Her words exactly."

Seh laughed quietly. "Then what _does_ she approve of? If one too much of one thing, then the middle is not too barbaric or too kind? Is there any one prince in this entire world that is like that?"

Hok sighed. "I don't know. But there must be someone. But I don't think that it _has_ to be a prince. It could be anyone within a good status. Like a hero. Like a warrior. " She couldn't help but look Seh straight in the eye when she spoke this. She just knew that they were meant for each other.

"Hok," Seh whispered, leaning towards her. "There's something that I need to tell you. I know I shouldn't let my emotions control me, but I can't help it when I'm around you. I've felt like this since the moment I first _truly _met you for what you are."

Hok was confused. "Seh, what do you mean? You're not saying that you are…"

But before Seh could answer, everyone in the room began to scream in terror. Hok turned and removed her mask. She heard the familiar sounds of a musket being fired.

_Click_… _fizz_… _BANG_!

Pain seared through her right shoulder as a ball of lead tore through her skin. Hok shrieked in pain, and Seh removed his mask looked at her in horror as scarlet blood streamed down her dress.

As she blacked out, the back of her head hit the hard marble floor. Something in her head snapped. She wanted to scream.

But she had already been taken.

Seh and the others searched far and wide for her. But by the time they found the man that caused the tragic event, it was too late.

The events had already been set in motion for the last time.

**In case any of you are confuzzled, I wrote this **_**waaay **_**before "Dragon." It's what I thought would happen afterward.**

**Review? **

**-A$h**


	2. Chapter 1: Five Years Later

**Hey-o! Back again for another installment of "After the Battle!"**

**I hope you all had a good weekend, and hope that you enjoy the chapter! **

Chapter 1: Five Years Later

"Whoa!" seventeen-year-old Seh shouted from atop his midnight-black stallion. He tugged back hard on the reigns trying to regain control of his mount.

But he was too late, and his head hit a low-hanging tree branch. He fell to the ground with a muffled _Thud! _

The horse stopped and turned around, looking at him as if to say, "You're not a very good rider."

Seh scowled at the horse and stood, brushing dirt and tiny rocks from his cotton robe.

That was when he heard the laughter of his friends, Cheen and Ying.

"It's not that funny," Seh muttered, walking over to his horse.

Cheen was doubled-over with his laughter and gasped out, "Yes it is!"

Ying was chuckling, his shoulders shaking.

Seh remounted his horse and scowled some more at the two.

After their laughter had dissipated, Ying said, "Let's head back. It's almost the end of our watch."

Seh nodded. "A wise choice, my friend."

As they headed back, Seh gazed at the ground, his mind wandering to topics other than what would be served at dinner that night.

Ying trotted next to him. "What is wrong, Brother Seh? Did Pussycat finally beat you at a battle of wits?"

Seh smiled slightly. "Only on one of his best days could Pussycat even come close."

Ying's thought for a moment. "It's the anniversary, isn't it?"

Seh nodded mournfully.

It had been five years that very day since Hok's disappearance. And not a day had passed that he didn't miss her.

Ying's face became impassive again. "We all miss her, Brother Seh. But you need to let go of the past, as Grandmaster would say. You need to move on."

Seh shook his head. "I-I can't. I just feel that she's still out there. I would know if she were dead. I would feel it… somehow. I just know that she's alive."

Ying shook his head. "We all want to believe that she's alive. Especially now, with the rumors of an uprising on our hands."

Seh nodded. "It's days like this when I miss her the most." He motioned with his head to the clear blue sky, turning gold with the coming sunset. Thin clouds visible here and there, turning pink from the setting sun. The leaves, green as emeralds, waving and glittering in the breeze. The air cool, but not chilly. But at the same time warm and crisp.

It reminded him of the day of Hok's funeral.

_*Flashback*_

_The air was warm and comfortable, a sure sign that spring was on its way. _

_It was silent in the grove of cherry trees. But not a comfortable, natural silence. It was a sad silence. The silence after someone dies._

_A group of people were walking through these trees, the blossoms that had fallen and new grass making a soft bed for their feet._

_They all wore black, a sign of mourning. And red, a sign of respect and good luck._

_Six men carried a solid wood coffin between them. Their faces looked sad._

_But that wasn't because someone had died. It was because there was no one to bury in the coffin._

_The group stopped at a pit, dug six feet deep and three feet wide._

_The men gingerly laid the coffin in the grave._

_The first person, GongJee, threw a handful of dirt into the grave and took a deep breath. "I'm going to miss you, sister," she whispered into the wind._

_Bing stepped forward and threw a handful of dirt into the grave. "Goodbye, my daughter."_

_Henrik came forward and did the same as his wife and child. "Goodbye, my little princess."_

_Fu stepped forward and tossed his handful of dirt. "I'm sorry for all those times I said you fought like a girl."_

_Malao came forward and did the same as Fu. "I'm really going to miss you, big sister," he said through his tears._

_Long said after tossing his dirt, "You were a brave warrior. I will never forget what you have done for us all."_

_Ying said, "I'm sorry I didn't trust you. You were only trying to help me. Thank you for saving my mother."_

_Gao said, "You'll forever be in our hearts." Then he bowed like all Cangzhen monks did when they greeted each other. Bing only cried harder._

_Mong said, "You were an excellent healer. You reminded me so much of your mother. I thank you for all you have done for the Resistance."_

_NgGung said, "Thank you for fighting even when we couldn't find the strength. You will always be remembered."_

_WanSow said, "Thank you for saving me, young crane. Thank you for saving my son. Our family is forever in your debt."_

_Sanfu said to the grave, "Thank you for everything. No one here will regret knowing you."_

_ShaoShu said, "You saved me. You were my first friend. Thank you for that. I'll never forget what you've done."_

_Cheen and Sum said, "Thank you for helping us. We are forever grateful."_

_PawPaw came forward and said, "You were one of the best healers I've had the pleasure of knowing. Without you, I'm not sure where most people would be now."_

_Hok's ladies in waiting came forward. Charlotte said, "I believe I speak for all of us when I say that you were the kindest person we've ever had the pleasure to know. You would've made a fine queen."_

_Everyone forgot about Seh. So they finished burying the coffin and left._

_Seh stood there and stared at the grave. He didn't want it to go forgotten._

_That was why he had prepared something in advance._

_He pulled a pure-white stone from underneath his cloak and laid it at the head of the grave. It read:_

_Hok OnYeen_

_Fighter, Healer, Sister, and Friend_

"_People who live the shortest lives lived the fullest ones."_

"_Hok," Seh whispered, falling to his knees at the foot of the grave, "you were the best fighter I've ever known. You were a great healer that helped me through thick and thin. You helped me get through my blindness. You healed me. You were my best friend. Thinking that I was the only one who you could tell your secret to made me feel like you could trust me and only me._

"_I loved your smile, your laugh, your hair, and everything about you. When your mother and PawPaw said that you would possibly die from your injuries from the fight with Tonglong, I thought that if you died, I would die with you._

"_But when you first woke up, when you first opened your eyes after three long days, I felt like I could fly. I knew that you would live. That was the moment when I realized something._

"_I realized that I loved you. I still do. Please, if you're still alive, come back. Find your way back to me. I need to tell you that I am in love with you. Please. Just somehow find your way back."_

_*End of Flashback*_

Seh awoke himself from his memories when he heard the hustle and bustle of the Resistance's camp.

But something felt off. He felt a strange presence that he hadn't felt in a long time.

He dismounted his horse and walked towards the place where the feeling was coming from.

It was inside his father's tent.

When he moved the flap, he saw his father, bent over a table, talking to Gao, NgGung, Sanfu, the Governor, and someone else.

That someone, was King Henrik, Hok's father.

**Love it? Hate it? Review!**

**Peace, Love, Happiness, and Maximum Ride.**

**-A$h**


	3. Chapter 2: The Girl

**I'm soooo sorry for the delayed review! Please don't kill me! *cowers under desk in fear***

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Five Ancestors. If I did, then there would be far more romance between certain characters, and less of the crap that is in the real books.**

**See you at the bottom!**

Chapter 2

Seh stared in shock. He bowed to the men.

"Hello, Seh," his father said, still looking over the maps on the table. "Nice of you to join us."

Seh glanced around. "What's going on?"

Henrik motioned to NgGung and said, "NgGung here has found something quite odd. He claims to have found a young girl, around the age of eighteen, in Jinan. He says that she has no recollection from the time before she was thirteen."

Seh cocked an eyebrow. "Is that it?"

The Governor continued, "No. He also says that she's the one who's been responsible for the string thieveries in that city.

"Not that it wasn't a criminal's paradise before," Seh added under his breath.

"But she's the one commonly known in Jinan as the 'Urchin Princess,'" Mong finished, looking triumphant.

Both of Seh's eyebrows raised. "I know the name. I was just in Jinan three weeks ago. She's been causing quite a stir there."

Gao nodded. "Not only that, but did you get a good look at her wanted posters?"

Seh shook his head. "No. I was there to barter for weapons with HukJee, not to sight-see."

Sanfu handed Seh a rolled-up piece of parchment. "Then you'd best look at this."

Seh unrolled the paper and looked at it.

It was a wanted poster for the girl known as the 'Urchin Princess.' Something felt extremely familiar about her…

"She looks just like Hok!" Seh realized.

NgGung nodded. "Yes. Not only that, but she wears a pendant around her neck made of jade. If you look at it closely, you can easily tell that it's a crane."

Seh stared in awe at the poster. Sure enough, he noticed the necklace. "It's the same one that Hok wore."

"There's more," the King said.

"What more could there possibly be?" Bing asked, walking into the tent, eleven-year-old GongJee following closely at her side.

"HukJee contacted me a few days ago," NgGung said. "He says that he had harbored the Urchin Princess for a few days. And that she might have information that could be of use to us."

"Meaning…?" GongJee asked.

"Meaning that she might possibly know why rebel troops have been on the move as of late," the Governor answered. "He says that she stole some food from them and heard bits and pieces of their conversation."

"What does this have to do with anything?" Bing asked.

"We can use her to get the information," Mong replied. "If she was able to get in and out of the rebel's camp without being noticed, then she would be a formidable spy. She could be of potential use to us."

"That's why we want to send Seh and the others to get her," Gao said.

"I'm in," Seh said instantly.

"Good," the King said. "But we'll need you, Ying, Cheen, and Sum to gather the others. She's slippery. No one has even come close to catching her."

Seh nodded. "Just tell me where to go."

**I'm sooo sorry for the delayed update! I've been so busy with my other stories and my own book that this has been hardly of a concern to me! Please don't kill me!**

**Anywhoo… you know the drill. Review!**

**-A$h and Fidget the Zombie Chinchilla**


	4. Chapter 3: The Urchin Princess

**Hey-o.**

**Thanks to all of you who reviewed! It makes me feel happiness!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.**

Chapter 3

Alexandra felt the wind chill sink deep into her bones, but she paid it no mind. She had felt worse.

She peeked slyly around the corner of the building and memorized the positions of the people at the bakery. Maybe if she were to… No. That wouldn't work.

Alex sighed. She would just have to pick some scraps out of the garbage pile in the back of the bakery tonight.

She slunk through the shadows and wove her way to the back of the opposite building.

Sure enough, the baker was just throwing out fresh scraps of burned bread and old vegetables.

Alex fell on the food like a starving dog, shoving whole rolls into her mouth. She ate all but the grossest parts of the vegetables, and all of the bread. She was as hungry as a racehorse.

Then, without a sound, she left.

She ran fast to her alleyway, making sure to hide her head underneath her cloak that she had stolen ages ago from the seamstress.

Once she was safe in the alley, she let out a sigh of relief and lowered the hood.

She sat down and leaned up against the wall, her eyes closed.

Like she always said: Home sweet foul-smelling alleyway.

She winced as her shoulder began to throb painfully. Her eyes opened and she moved the shoulder of her dirty, grimy, tattered dress away to look at her right shoulder. Sure enough, Alex's old scar from a gunshot wound, that she had no memory whatsoever of receiving, was an ugly shade of purplish-red, the color it turned whenever it hurt.

She sighed and replaced the shoulder of the dress.

Her hand reached up and fingered the small jade crane that hung around her neck. She didn't know where she had gotten it from, but she flat-out refused to trade it for food. She felt some sort of connection whenever she fingered it. A warm, wanted feeling. A good feeling. A familiar feeling.

Alex thought to herself like she always did when she felt that way, _The person who gave this to me _must _have loved me._

Suddenly, Alex heard a noise. Her eyes snapped open. She crouched down and felt her defenses immediately go up.

The sound of something fluttering overhead.

She looked up…

And was caught in a net.

"Do not make a sound," a voice, deep, calm, and deliberate, whispered in her ear. "Do not struggle. We're not here to hurt you."

Alex had never been particularly good at taking orders, so she started to thrash around. But that only entangled her more in the net. She took a deep breath so she could start screaming, but found that her lungs wouldn't take in that much air. Someone had kicked her hard.

She struggled more as a man lifted her onto his shoulder and walked out of her alley.

"Who do you work for?" Alex gasped out.

She heard chuckles. They were _amused! _

"We'll answer all of your questions," another man answered. "But first, you have to answer _ours_."

Alex didn't know how long they walked for. It could've been a few hours or a few minutes. It was impossible to tell through the net.

Finally, they stopped and one of the men (she assumed that there had to be at least five) knocked on a door once, then paused, then five times in rapid succession.

The door opened, and light flooded though the small holes in the net.

The man dropped her onto the floor, and Alex cried out. It felt hard, like wood.

Hands removed the net, and Alex blinked at the sudden onslaught of light pouring into her eyes.

After blinking several times to adjust to the light, Alex saw three men sitting at a long table. They looked older.

And very, very serious.

"If you're here to take me to the authorities," Alex said in her best threatening voice. "Then you're going to have one big fight on your hands."

A man came up behind her and tied her hands behind her back.

_ Okay, _Alex thought. _Plan. Need a plan. Maybe if I can stand, then I can—_

"We're not here to turn you in to the authorities," said one man. He was huge! The blood-red robe he wore was big enough to be a tent! But that wasn't the oddest part of him. He was also totally devoid of hair.

Now Alex was confused. "You're not going to turn me in?"

Another man, one dressed in a luxurious green robe, shook his head and said, "No. But we are here to ask you a few questions."

Alex felt a cold sweat break out on her forehead. "What sort of questions?"

The third man, with a thick brown beard and kind, green eyes, replied, "About who you are, where you're from. Those sort of questions."

Alex sighed. "I guess I have no choice."

The three men cracked smiles.

"But first," said the giant man. "Ying, can you undo her bonds. She must be very hungry."

A young man with a face carved like a dragon's came and undid her bonds. She rubbed her wrists a little, for they had slightly chafed her.

Another young man, this one larger and muscular, with a round head, thick black hair, tiny ears, and sharp, dark brown eyes, handed her a tray of food.

Alex felt her mouth water, and immediately began to shove the bean-paste buns into her mouth. She knew she should have considered that they had been drugged, but she was so hungry that it overruled the feeling of caution.

After a minute or two, she was done.

"Have you had enough to eat?" the green-eyed man asked.

Alex nodded.

"Good," he said. "Let me introduce myself. My name is Henrik. I'm captain of the Dutch ship _Gabriel _and ruler of the country of Holland.

Alex's eyes widened. "You're a king?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yes, that's one word for it."

The giant smiled at her and said, "I'm Mong. I'm the leader of the Resistance.'

Alex had heard of the Resistance. They were the ones who had helped stop and evil man named Tonglong, who had tried to take over China five years ago.

The man in the green robe said, "My name is not important, but you can call me 'Governor.'"

Alex couldn't believe that she was meeting so many important people at once!

"Now, we would like to ask you our questions," said Mong.

"Fire away," Alex said.

"Who are you?" the Governor asked.

"My name…?" Alex muttered. "I cannot remember my name. But I have one that I made up for myself."

"Then tell us," said King Henrik.

Alex took a deep breath before saying, "You probably know me as the Urchin Princess."

"Do you know who your parents are?" the King asked.

Alex thought for a moment. "I can only remember bits and pieces. I remember a ship. It was big. Not like Chinese junks. It was a Round Eye ship. With big white sails and tall masts."

The men at the table glanced at each other.

"I also remember an old man," Alex said quickly. "He wore an orange robe, like a monk. He was bald, and old, and frail. But I remember that he was stronger than he looked. And that he carried a sword from time to time. I cannot remember his name though."

She heard a few of the men standing behind her whisper to each other.

"What did the sword look like?" asked the one with the carved face, Ying the men had called him.

Alex thought hard for many moments before saying, "I think… I think it was a straight broadsword. It… had dragons on the blade. It was old, but strong. Like the man who carried it."

More whispers.

"Do you know how old you are?" the Governor asked.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I do not know. If I had to make a guess, I would say about seventeen or eighteen."

They all shot glances at each other.

"All right," said Mong. "We will ask you more questions later, but for right now, you are dismissed."

That was when the blindfold went over her eyes.

**Dun, dun, dun! Sorry for the cliffie, but that's the way it's rolling right now.**

**Review please!**

**-A$h**


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